Snap-catch, &amp;c.



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(Application med mar. 2o, 1899.)

(NU Model.)

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR: @ml/mwa g55 fw WITNESSES: ai@

FFI fl JOHN DE GROAT BRASSINGTON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SNAP-CATCH, 81.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,265, dated January16, 1900.

Application filed March 20,1899. Serial No. 709.752. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it' may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN DE GRoAT BRAS- SINGTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, Port Richmond, in t-he borough and countyof Richmond, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Snap-Catches and Similar Devices, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to snap-catches and the like, and aims to providecertain improvements in such devices, especially applicable toswivel-catches.

Heretofore snap-catches have been variously constructed, one typecomprising two jaws or hooks, one or bothV swinging toward and from aclosed position, a shell in which the hooks are mounted, a loop forconnecting the catch to a strap or other article, a block within theshell for swinging the hooks, and a swivel connection between the blockand the shank or loop, so that the body and loop members can berelatively rotated. The block has had cam-faces passing between andreciprocal to similar faces on the insides of the hooks, these facesbeing adapted, when the block is pushed toward the body, to throw thehooks to the open position by crossing to the front side of their axes,and when the loop is pulled outward to hold the hooks in a closedposition by crossing to the rear side of their axes. A snapcatch of thisgeneral character is shown in my Patent No. 622,201, dated April 4,1899, on which my present invention is especially an improvement.

This invention aims to simplify, improve, and strengthen theconstruction of such snapcatches, and to this end in carrying out theinvention I provide an annular cam-face on the shank, preferablyintegral therewith and capable of revolving between the jaws when theloop member is' rotated in the body, and I provide the body with acam-socket for holding and permitting movement of this block, the rearend of which socket by engaging the block takes part of the tensionstrain on the catch and receives the wear incident to rotation of theloop, and I provide a loop member consisting of an eye, shank, cam, andpin of improved and preferably integral construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of my improvedcatch in the locked position. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 3 isa face view showing the catch open. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section onthe line of the jaws, showing the catch closed. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsection taken at right angles to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a similar view toFig. 4, showing the catch open; and Fig. 7 is a view of the inner faceof one of the shell members.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the improved catch; B, itsbody; C, its jaws; D, a link engaged by the jaws; E, the swivellooppiece, and F a strap or other article connected thereto.

The body B preferably consists of the light cast-metal halves o a, whichare united by two studs or pins b or in any suitable manner, and haveprojecting flanges c abutting at their .side edges. Within these flangeseach shell has a recess d, having a iiat bearing-face e, which recessopens'out through the flange at each side of the center of the body.Between the recesses the halves d have a socket f at the top extendingthrough a projection g and communicating with the recess d. At thebottom each half has a semicircular socket h extending from the recess dthrough the wall. Between and in line with the sockets fh each half isformed with a concave internal chamber 0l.

Two jaws C are preferably used, both being shown as movable and havingreduced overlapping hooked portions G at their outer extremities fromwhich they extend inwardly, and have flat inner ends H iitting withinthe recesses d and fulcrumed therein in any suitable manner, as by meansof the stud b, so that the jaws can swing toward and from each other` toclose and open the catch. In the closed position the inner ends of thejaws are relatively separated, and in the open position they arerelatively adjacent. When closed, the inner faces of the jaw approach orbear against the sides of the projections g, and their outer edges closethe entrance to the socket d by means of projections K, which are liushwith the outer edge of the shells for closing these entrances when thejaws are closed and which swing outwardly over the edges vof the Walls ewhen the jaws are open. The jaws each have a notch j below the wing Kfor permitting their opening movement.

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Each jaw has on its inner side a cam or bearing face I, which is concaveand extends from front to rear past the pivotal axis of the jaw, thesefaces being opposed to each other and opposite the cavity in the shells.Between these faces I interpose a rotary block J, having an annularcam-face 7c, approximately spherical and corresponding in contour withthe bearing-faces I of the jaws or of such reciprocal shape relativelythereto that as the block is moved forward and backward within theshell, the jaws must open or close by reason of the passage of the blockto the front or rear of the axes of the jaws. The block J is moved byand preferably formed integrally with the shank L, which latter isconnected with the eye Z of the loop E, the shank passing through thesocket 71. in the shell. The block J is movable inward a suicientdistance to open the jaws to the desired extent, and its inward movementis arrested by the top wall m of the cavity z'. It is movable outwardsufficiently to fully close the jaws, and its outward movement islimited by the wall 'n of such cavity, which wall takes all the thrustor tension strain on the catch and receives any wear due to rotationwhile the catch is under such strain.

I prefer to provide aguiding or holding pin M for the block J, which isshown as an integral part thereof, projecting as a cylinder from itsfront side and extending into the socket f. I also prefer to use aspiral spring N for throwing the catch to the closed position and tomount this spring on the pin M, compressing it between the block and theinner wall of the lug g. The forward wall m of the cavity i preventsundue compression of the spring N, and the rearward wall n resists therearward thrust thereof.

In operation'the forward movement of the block, which may be caused bypressing the loop toward the body, will open the jaws, and rearwardmovement of the block, which may be caused by the spring when this isused or by tension on the snap-catch in any case, will close the jaws,and the jaws will be held closed by the pull exerted on the snap-catch,thus, as heretofore, insuring their closure so long as the catch isunder tension. `Rotation between the body and loop may fully take place,and any resulting wear will be distributed over the circumference of theblock and the inner wall of the cavity 'L'.

The improved snap-catch consists of very few parts, all of which are ofgreat simplicity, strength, and durability.

l. In snap-catches, the combination with a body and hook-jaws pivotedthereto and having opposed bearing-faces, of a rotary block between saidjaws having a cam-face acting against the faces thereof, and a shankconnected to said block for operating it.

2. In snap-catches and the like, the combination with a body, of twojaws pivoted thereto and having opposing bearing-faces, of a blockbetween said faces of said jaws having an annular cam-face engaging saidfaces for opening and closing the jaws, and a shank for operating saidblock.

3. In snap-catches and the like the combination with a body and two jawspivoted therein and having opposing cam-faces, of an approximatelyspherical cam between and engaging said faces, and movable forwardly andrearwardly for opening and closing the jaws, and a shank connected tosaid cam for operating it.

4. In snap-catches and the like, a body and two jaws pivoted thereto andhaving opposing cam-faces, in combination with a rotary block betweenand engaging said faces and movable to open and close said jaws, and ashank formed integrally with said block for operating it.

5. In snap-catches and the like, a body having sockets f and h and arecess between said sockets, two jaws pivoted thereto within saidrecess, and having opposing cam-faces, of a rotary loop member connectedto said body and consisting of a single integral part having a shank Lwithin said socket h, a block J forming part of and rotating with saidmember between said jaws and having a cam-face bearing against thecam-faces thereof, and a pin M extending from said block into saidsocket f, said member movable forwardly and rearwardly to open and closesaid jaws.

6. In snap-catches, the combination with two pivoted jaws of a bodycarrying said jaws and consisting of two halves having internal cavitiest', said jaws pivoted at opposite sides of said cavities and havingopposing camfaces opposite the cavities, a circular rotary block Jwithin said shell between and engaging said cam-faces, and movableforwardly and rearwardly to open and close said jaws, and a shankconnected to said block for operating the latter.

7. The improved snap-catch consisting of two jaws, a body carrying saidjaws and consistin g of two half-shells having opposite jawrecesses d,and opposing cavities z', of a block J between said half-shells andhaving an annular face fitting and rotative in said cavity, a shank Lixed to said block, and an eye Z connected to said shank outwardly ofsaid body, substantially as and 4for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN DE GROA'I BRASSINGTON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, THoMAs F. WALLACE.

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